Keep Sydney Open Rally 2016 / Photo By Ashley Mar

Don’t Miss Your Last Chance To Have Your Say On Sydney’s Lockout Laws This Weekend

With public submissions to Sydney’s lockout laws review closing this coming Monday 4th April, this weekend is your last chance to have your say on the laws by submitting your opinion here.

With support from the electorate essential to having the legislation changed, your email and those of your friends and family can make a big difference here. The anti-lockout movement has been gaining strength recently, with Keep Sydney Open staging a 10,000+ rally in Hyde Park and Reclaim The Streets marching their mobile protestival to Star City.

Still, if you feel passionate about Sydney’s nightlife and your right to have a thriving and safe city, now is the time to make your voice heard.

Don’t feel as though you have to pen some lengthy essay though (if you do want to pull a Matt Barrie go right ahead though) a simple account of how the laws have affected you and the community around you is all that’s needed. Keeping things well reasoned and factual would help as well of course.

In which case here are some helpful points to touch on in your letter.

If you want to touch on the majority of the public being against the laws you could bring up that:

-69% of respondents to a recent survey said there should be no lockout of entry to clubs. With 51% responding that there should be no limit on last drinks.

(Figures from this survey conducted by The Socialites targeted to reflect the same demographic of people who live in the CBD.)

If you wanted to discuss the negative impact the laws have had on businesses:

– In 2010 there were about 1,100 businesses open at 11pm across 4 areas, but in 2015 the number is 579 in 10 areas.

– In 2010 there were about 750 businesses open at 1am across 4 areas, and only 363 in 2015 across 10 areas.

– At 4am there were a little over 400 businesses open in 2010 across 4 areas, and 208 in 2015 across 10 areas.

(Figures from City of Sydney’s Late Night Management Areas Research Phase 4 Report)

You can find out all you need to now about making your submission here or if you want to just go straight ahead now email it to liquorlawreview@justice.nsw.gov.au.

Also if you haven’t already don’t forget to sign Keep Sydney Open’s petition urging the NSW Government to repeal the lockout laws as it only needs another 23,000 signatures to reach it’s 75,000 goal.

Your voice and support matter and don’t be afraid to make yourself heard.

Gallery: Reclaim The Streets Rally – Sydney 2016 / Photos By Brandon Matich

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